


Muse

by Xilianr



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Dreams and Nightmares, Eventual Smut, F/M, Female Anatomy Terms for Reader, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Gore, Horror, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Levi/Reader-centric, Light Angst, M/M, Odaxelagnia, Other, Panic Attacks, Possessive Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Reader-Insert, Slow To Update, Smut, Suicidal Thoughts, Yandere Eren Yeager, Yandere Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-29 00:20:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21401047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xilianr/pseuds/Xilianr
Summary: You had an opportunity to move and you took it. You didn't really know anyone in the area but you weren't worried, you needed a change. You weren't planning on having a helpful neighbor or to make such unique friends but planning never was your strong suit.
Relationships: Eren Yeager/Reader, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader, Levi/Reader, Past Levi/Erwin Smith - Relationship, Past Levi/Mike Zacharias
Comments: 13
Kudos: 70





	Muse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally posted this as a series "Can't Get Away From You" with the intention of their being three parts the first two being "I Will Always Find You" and "I Will Always Keep You" back in 2017. The story was the first multi-chapter I even started and in turn was not as smooth as I wanted, the ending even changed dramatically about halfway through the writing process. I'm now putting it back up with some significant and not so significant changes. If you read the original please no spoilers about what happens. Which brings me to an important note:
> 
> PLEASE actually mind the tags! I am warning you of the content in this story, NOT being cute and funny. I can't tell you how much it hurts to know that my work upsets my readers when I warned about it in the tags.
> 
> This story will be very fluffy until it suddenly isn't. I do it on purpose. This is the ONLY warning I'm giving on that.

You looked out the window of your new basement apartment and felt your heart ache with the truth that only a cold rainy day could bring: being a pedestrian sucked. You really hated that you did not own a car at times like this. What’s more you didn’t even have a license so a car wouldn’t really have helped. Not the most unusual of issues, Jessica Fletcher out of "Murder, She Wrote" never learned to dive. That seemed a reasonable role model to scapegoat out for your complicated life choice just now. Looking at the wet world outside you dwelled on the annoying fact that even with an umbrella the trip to the market was undoubtably going to have a “looking half drown” phase. You groaned at the cyclist side of your psyche, for a moment wishing you had been like everyone else and gotten a car. The moment passed and you moved on to planning around the weather.

Freshly moved to the new town you had no friends to really reach out to yet, the short list of acquaintances being out of town still for the holidays just passed. Gathering all your stamina for the annoying, if not a little exciting, new mission to go out and get coffee, milk, fresh veggies and maybe some bread you slipped on your weather ready slicker and boots. 

“Onward!” You jokingly told yourself, charging out the door of your new flat, reusable bags hidden under the slicker to keep dry. 

After walking three blocks you realized that the market you were sure was up the street was in fact up the street in the exact opposite direction you had gone in. Wonderful. Muttering a string of profanities softly under your breath made you feel a little better, even if it did nothing to reduce the time your crumby navigation skills had tacked on. 

Walking back passed your own flat, you smirked at the front door, pausing to debate if maybe a quick warm cup of tea was in order to stoke the furnace and chase away some of the cold. Pressing forward before momentum could be lost won out over warmth and off down the street in the correct direction you powered on. 

“Oi, idiot!”

Not looking around for shouts like that was a reflex from years of walking around in your old home town, Sina. Instead you kept moving, posture unchanged from the call. You were not interested in hearing how your new neighbors thought you needed a car to thrive. Clicking the volume on your music a hair higher you bopped your head a little to the tune. That was until a hand grabbed your shoulder and you made a sound somewhere between an eep, an aah, and a whatthefuck. 

Before you stood a shorter man in a nice business suit and long heavy coat, head dripping with water. The look on his face was one of bored annoyance and did not really match the action of abandoning his running car, door open, to run and grab his neighbor in pouring rain. 

“You. You’re the brat next door, that just moved in, right?” He half shouted to be heard.

Pulling out one earbud, headset fully hidden from view by your hood, you tilted your umbrella so that it covered his now inundated head.

“Woah, you’re soaked! Sorry, I had my headset in so I didn’t hear you coming up behind me. Hope you weren’t trying to talk to me.” You said, guilt at ignoring his call making a knot in your stomach. 

“Tch, it’s just water, not like I’ll melt.” 

His icy tone left the small smart-ass voice in your head whispering ‘You sure? You seem pretty salty.’ To which you told your brain to hush and play nice. 

“Look, I was just on my way out to run some errands and if you didn’t mind that I need to hit the market and the post office I could give you a ride where ever you’re going.” Once again the words did not match the mostly annoyed, maybe even pissed off look and tone. 

“I am just on my way to the market also, so if you don’t mind me tagging along that would be great! You coming back here after?”

A soft click of his tongue was mostly muffled by the rainfall as he turned to nod toward the place next door to yours. “Are you stupid? That’s where I live, so yeah, back here to put away my groceries.”

‘A real prince charming this one.’ Your thought dripped with sarcasm. Well, maybe he was a little, considering that he did just run over to you to offer to help you out, asshole vocabulary he used to do so, aside. 

“Yeah, please, that would be wonderful to get a ride to and from. I don’t drive so the weather was really putting my dinner plans to the test. Thanks for offering.” You gave your best warming smile, hoping to convey you were genuinely ecstatic to get the ride.

“Hm. Right, hurry up, its too damn wet to keep talking out here.” With that he was already turned and making quick time to the car. How could a guy barely over five feet move so damn fast?

As you slid into the car you saw him pull a towel from the back seat and start to dry his hair, reducing his ‘fresh from a swim’ look to ‘just had a shower’. Now in the safe dryness of a vehicle you were able to take in the man behind the wheel. Black hair done in an undercut was making his porcelain light skin and steel grey eyes even sharper from the contrast. Being in the warmth of the car did nothing to warm his expression though. He seemed to be one of those people that just always looked half way between too bored to fake interest and too grumpy to care. An awkward car ride was bound to be your immediate future but thankfully you had one earbud still in, giving you freedom from the silence without forcing him to hear your music.

“I’m gonna drop off a parcel first then we will come back by the grocery.”

“Oh, okay, that sounds best. I’m not in any rush.” you answered back, trying for chipper so he might lighten up a bit. 

“Just didn’t want you freaking out as we drive by. All I need is for you to try and attack me for ‘trying to kidnap you’ when I am actually just sending my friend some supplies.” A small smirk was on his lips, so faint you hardly noticed it. This guy was starting to look totally socially inept more and more and total asshole less and less. Was he just normally crass and unapproachable like this? That would explain why a guy this attractive and considerate of others was not sporting a wedding ring. He immediately put off everyone that ever talked to him. 

The rest of the drive to the post office was silent, and he left his keys in the ignition as he dashed in to leave a box at the outgoing drop off. Once he slid back in the car he gave you a slight sideways glance, almost like asking if you were ready to go but not wanting to ask. You gave a big smile and a subtle nod in an attempt to convey your being ready. 

Your driver sighed, tension leaving his shoulders ever so slightly as he started on the trek to the grocery you had passed once already. This guy might as well have had awkward tattooed across his forehead. You were sure he was trying to work out how to ask something, or say something. What it could be was beyond you though.

“Oh, do you have a cell phone? Want my number so you can call me if you get finished and want me to hurry up?” you offered playfully, a good natured grin encouraging him to relax more. Offering to take a new neighbor to the store would be kind of stressful for most people, and this guy seemed high strung in general.

“Sure, but it’s in my inner coat pocket so lets wait until I park for you to give it to me. Let me give you mine now. The names Levi. Levi Ackerman.” He offered his name in such a strange tone, it was as if he had been struggling to figure out how to offer it up. Next he rattled off his number, you read it back to be sure you got it right. You tapped his name into your phone and when he stopped at a signal you snapped a quick picture to add to the contact. He turned his head slowly to look at you, face an unreadable mask. The light changed and he once again faced forward, full attention needed for the wet road and low visibility from the downpour. You could not be sure but you thought you saw the smallest smirk tug at his lips. This triggered your own grin pulling at your lips, the silence seeming to make the pair of you giddy and awkward dorks.

Levi grabbed a space near the doors and after shuffling a few items around to get the desired bags from the back seat he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Alright go ahead.” And now it was your turn to rattle off your number, still with your old Sina area code. He read back the correct number and with your nod of confirmation he gave a contented hum.

“Ok brat, now I don’t want to be here all damn day so go in, get your shit, and ring me. No fucking around in the tabloid section or whatever.”

“Do I really look like I read the gossip columns? Not all my books have pictures in them, you know! I can even read at a college level!” You playfully poked his shoulder, taking his childish name calling as invitation to be a bit of a kid yourself.

“Tch, just don’t dottle.” With a roll of his eyes he climbed out of the car and looked over his shoulder to be sure you were right behind. You climbed out and rushed around to take a spot next to him, umbrella once again tipped to try and keep the one without a hood drier. 

You both went your separate ways once through the doors, mad dash to get food and get out underway. Your basket got filled quickly enough with all your needed items, large jug of milk taken over the smaller offerings since you had the pleasure of a ride today. You searched the lines and upon finding the one that looked shortest you popped to the end and eagerly emptied your basket onto the belt to wait. 

And wait.

Then waited some more as the milk stayed a totally stationary pillar against the back drop of gums. The customer ahead of you stood looking upset to the point of fuming and a teen behind the register seemed totally cowed with beads of sweat on his brow, but neither said nor did anything. The tension was palpable.

A vibration startled you and you looked at your phone.

-Done. You almost ready or should I get a book?-

Maybe he is a socially inept asshole? Why limit him to an either/or, the man seemed willing enough to multitask. 

-Almost done. I seem to have picked the one line that is at a stand still.-

After another minute you began to get annoyed that there was still no motion being made to change the absence of things being rung up. Looking at the name tag of the tall and nervous kid behind the register you tried to get a feel for whether or not you should jump ship for a different line or not.

“Hey there Bertolt- uh, Bert! Hi there. Um how long do you think this is gonna be? I mean should I get my stuff to a different line?” The death glare from the woman ahead of you brought the opposite reaction of what she expected as you calmly looked her in the eye and said, “Look I have a life too, and instead of wasting it right here watching you try to explode this poor brat with your mind I can just go to the next line over and leave some time before the new year.” Well, it had only been one car trip and already you were seeing an influence to your vocabulary from your new friend. Before the woman could unleash whatever frustration she was feeling on the target you just painted on your forehead, a sharp commanding tone turned all your heads.

“Are you shitting me? You’re seriously still in line? Give me your damn groceries, the line over here is actually moving. This is stupid.” The growling tone and glare of brewing storm behind his grey eyes had the whole line help get your food into a basket and you to the head of the next line over. At this point you figured you could go one of two ways with it. Option one: tell Levi off for making a scene and embarrassing the poor kid that was just trying to do his job. That would be pretty damn awful to do especially since you were making him wait on you after he had gone out of his way to help you today. But option two seemed a better idea.

“Thanks Bert. Hang in there, you can only do your best, the rest is up to your manager to fix.” You give him a big smile and wave as you stepped over to pay for your groceries. Looking at the new checker’s name badge you tried to salvage her mood without throwing blame around like some baboon throwing shit. “Sorry about that, Mikasa. He is just having one of those days. Don’t take it personally.” You offered up your warmest smile. The young woman looked up at you with a familiar blank expression and emotionless grey eyes. Maybe they were distantly related?

Taking your bagged goods and receipt you started for the door. Levi was snarling up at a giant of a guy with shaggy dirty-blonde hair. The posture of the two reminded you of one time when you saw a month old kitten try and take out a full grown german shepherd. The kitten failed, obviously, and the dog wandered off confused as to what had just happened. This threatened to have a similar if not as humorously adorable ending. Walking over, you gently tugged on Levi’s sleeve to get his attention. Whatever he was about to say died on his lips as he looked at you. You had a pleasant smile and seemed totally at peace with the situation, not annoyed at his outburst or at the time wasted waiting in a line that should have been closed off. 

“I'm very sorry about that. We will do better about having our staff inform guests of delays in ringing them out.” The manager who’s name tag identified as Miche stated.

“Oh, don’t worry about me. Poor Bert there is taking a real mauling though. I think the guy might liquify, he is sweating so hard. I didn’t mind waiting if it was just going to be a couple minutes but I sure didn’t want to make my friend wait an hour over this. We should be going now, we’ve been spending enough of the day in this foul weather.”

“Thank you for being so understanding.” Miche said while looking at Levi, nearly daring him to say something after that.

“No worries, you try to stay dry, Miche.” You waved over your shoulder and gave a second soft tug on Levi to get him to break eye contact with the beast of a manager.

You climbed into the car after setting your haul in the back seat. Levi climbed in shortly after, a look of some kind weighing in his eyes, you were pretty sure. The guy sure was hard to read, but you were hoping you were getting the hang of it. His eyes held all his emotions, his face was a just an empty mask.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that.” Levi was sharply focused straight ahead despite still being parked. Turning on the heat, Levi waited for the windshield to clear from the slight fogging.

Feeling the tension you decided to give your new friend the benefit of the doubt and instead of taking the bait to scold him for his temper you put the other side of the truth of his actions in the spot light. Hoping to chase off his guilt you chuckled softly earning a slightly startled look from him. “You shouldn’t be sorry, they had it coming. Eventually. Especially for leaving that terrified teen to handle that self centered bitch. A train wreak waiting to happen. Thanks for that. I’m glad you spoke up for me. I’m too easy going sometimes. They could have had a much worse situation in a matter of moments if you hadn’t stepped in then. Crass as you are, you directed your wrath at the people to blame, not the hapless clerks that couldn’t have done anything beyond telling people sorry and they don’t know how long of a wait it will be. You saved me yet again today. Sorry I made you wait so long, Levi.” You kept your gaze out the windshield for most of your speech, feeling a little silly putting such effort into being so empathetic with someone you had just met.

Still parked Levi had been watching you speak the whole way through, his head now slightly turned to the side. Almost like he was trying to see if a different angle would let him see what you were seeing to make the world look not like shit piled on shit. Little did he know you knew the world was mostly shit piled on shit and sculpted into something that was then sold off at an exorbitant price. You just looked hard for the good bits, the silver linings, like the chance to make a new friend on an otherwise stormy day. More to the point, you were a bit of an awkward and shy person, definitely a total introvert, and that meant you valued anyone willing to assert effort into being in your world. Even the ones that failed horribly at social graces.

“Tch, just pick a line that is actually moving next time.” You looked over to give him a smile only to once again be looking at his profile. This time however you were quiet certain you saw the faintest dusting of pink on his cheeks. 

The ride was once again silent, but at this point the silence was comfortable between you. A simple foundation having been lain out that stated both your intentions clearly. Levi was going to be blunt, curse a lot, and be crass to everyone he talked to because he lacked any skill at not sounding like a dick. You were fine with forwardness, could not be bothered to care about swearing, and were not going to take it personally that he was so harsh. 

Levi pulled up to your place and let you out at the closest point to your personal entrance on the side of the house, giving you the shortest possible dash to get out of the weather.

“Oi, get your door key in your hand now. Don’t want to stand on those steps any longer than you need to in this piss.”

“Yeah, good idea! Thanks Levi, for the ride and everything. It’s been nice meeting you!” You beamed at him.

“Yeah yeah, hurry up and get inside, brat. My ice cream is melting.” It had only been a brief day out but you were really sure you were catching the little tells about his mood. A slight brightness in his eyes had you hoping Levi was at least a little pleased to have helped you out today.

Getting inside and taking off the layers protecting you from the cold and wet, you tapped on your phone to end your music still playing through the abandoned earbuds. You saw that you missed a text from Levi, most likely because he was shouting at you.

-Which line are you in? Still waiting?-

That was the exact moment it hit you. You never once told him your name. You smacked your palm to your forehead with such force you half expected to get a text from Levi asking what the loud thud was. Total idiot. Here you were thinking the whole time about how awkward he was and you failed to have the sense to tell him your name?

-Hey Levi, thanks for letting your weird new neighbor go on your errands with you. I should have said sooner, my name is (Y/N). Thanks again!-

Seconds later a vibration alerted you to a new message.

-I was happy to have the company. Next time I go shopping I’ll drop you a text, see if you’d like to go. Keep warm, and dry your hair (F/N), you forgot to put up your hood up on the way in. Can’t have you catching cold.-

You smile happily at your phone. Today might have been dumping down rain and chilling to the bone outside, but you felt truly warmed through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments, (constructive) critique, and kudos are adored. I'm REALLY bad at answering comments right now and if you look at my other works you'll know that I love answering comments so please forgive me! Thank you for coming along with me!


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